Farooq Ganderbali
Notwithstanding High Commissioner Abdul Basit-speak of dialogue in suspended animation, a determined effort appears to be underway to suggest that there has been a positive change of heart in Pakistan vis-à-vis India. It is even being said that the hostile western neighbour has all but jettisoned its policy of exporting terror to India, adopted heartily nearly three decades ago with a view to grab Kashmir and destablise India. Much of this misplaced hype comes from the reported tip off by Pakistan that 10 militants had sneaked from its side of the international border into India.
On what basis do some people speak of Pakistan turning a new leaf in its relations with India, one of peaceful coexistence and cooperation? The Pakistanis themselves say that there can be no normalcy in relations with India without Kashmir becoming a part of the Islamic Republic. Trade is touted as a possible ‘game changer’ in bilateral relations. But Pakistan links that too to the ‘resolution’ of the ‘Kashmir dispute’. It is nowhere clear that Pakistan has abandoned its policy of using jihadist proxies to ‘bleed India with thousand cuts’.
More amazing is the belief in certain sections in India that Pakistan’s decision to send a team of its investigators to probe the recent terror attack on the Pathankot airbase was another gesture of cooperation. Pakistan-speak after the visit has made many peaceniks to down their shutters though.
Anyone in India who thinks that Pakistan putting some ringleaders of terror in ‘preventive’ custody or ‘banning’ an organisation for participating in terror attacks on India is a sign of cooperation suffers from illusion. The so-called preventive custody does not prevent the person ‘arrested’ (invariably considered a valuable ‘asset’ by the army) from carrying out his nefarious activities. And the ‘ban’ on militant organisations is a joke because the proscribed enterprises are forever free to resume their ‘normal’ activities merely by changing their name and by declaring that they carry out ‘charitable’ work.
The offer of the so-called cooperation with India on terror could be a ruse to demand reciprocal ‘cooperation’ from India in tackling militancy inside Balochistan. Despite regularly pointing fingers at India for terror attacks on its soil, Pakistan has been unable to provide any evidence of Indian hand. But that does not prevent it from continuing to blame India and demand a stoppage to the non-existent India help to Pakistani militants. It is part of the anti-India propaganda by Pakistan to catch world attention. So far this trick has not worked for Pakistan. Even the latest pronouncement of arresting a high profile former Indian Naval officer cum RAW agent, for that matter.
The so-called Pakistan tip-off in the pre-JIT days could well have been a well-planned stunt, a red herring perhaps. That the tip –off had led one nowhere is a different thing but it had the effect Pakistan wanted: publicity for an act that can be construed as helpful and indicative of its ‘honest’ intentions. It can also be seen as an image building exercise by Pakistan. But where are the terrorists whose entry Pakistan had informed India while terror attacks in Kashmir have continued.
It is an unrelated development, but illustrates the point that nothing much has changed about Pakistan’s malevolence about India. Jingoism in India may have made a contribution to it, but the Pakistanis made too much of a noise about the participation of its T20 cricket team for the ICC World Cup in India.
Much before the Congress chief minister of Himachal Pradesh presented his ‘patriotic’ face to demand shifting of an India-Pakistan cricket fixture from Dharmashala, the Pakistanis—cricket officials, politicians and players—were opposing sending their team into the ‘enemy’ territory where they thought they were bound to be slaughtered under the current Hindutva surge.
The Pakistanis continued with their drama by holding their cricket team back when it was about to enter India. When the ICC decided that the India-Pakistan match would be played in Kolkata instead of Dharamshala, the Pakistani continued to make an issue about the safety of their team.
As a host, India had assured Pakistanis and other T20 group nations in advance that their teams would be provided full security. That was not enough for Pakistani Cricket Board, and its patrons. They insisted that they send their own team to India to see for themselves how good or bad were the security arrangements for the Pakistani cricketers.
It is not difficult to see why the Pakistanis resorted to such theatrics. Despite all their efforts, no major cricket nation is willing to tour their country where, by their own admission, terror has not subsided. Moreover, the Pakistani society is so deeply radicalised that any visiting cricket team, especially from India, can come under attack—on the playground and elsewhere.
That the Pakistani team, not among the top T20 nations, made an inglorious exit from the tournament is no more than poetic justice in the end. The message is loud and clear. You cannot hide your shortcomings under imaginary security concerns. And patriotism is no substitute to poor performance if every Pakistani chest is to swell with pride.
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